Police have made three more arrests as a blitz on Manchester's counterfeit traders continues. Earlier this week, it was announced the infamous 'Counterfeit Street' buildings on Bury New Road are set to be shut down and bulldozed, with Greater Manchester Police linking 33 organised crime gangs to the area.
The announcement tied in with Operation Vulcan, which saw police recover an estimated 20 tonnes of replica clothing after being called out to reports of a burglary on Lockett Street on Tuesday (October 25), just off Bury New Road in Strangeways. Officers also recovered a van which was being used for the burglary, containing a machete and an axe.
At around 12.20pm yesterday (Thursday), officers from the Operation Vulcan team made an impromptu stop at the same firework shop alongside trading standards and Manchester's anti-social behaviour action team (ASBAT), to make sure what was being sold was legitimate and safe. They found the boards which had previously been put in place to secure the building had been removed.
Officers entered the property and found three males inside. GMP says they have all been arrested for burglary and remain in custody for questioning.
Detective Superintendent Neil Blackwood, who is heading Operation Vulcan, said: “This is a great example of why the Vulcan approach is so important. Criminality creeps back very quickly and only by us and our partners being present day in day out are we able to change the area for the long term.
“Let this be a stark reminder to those who want to continue with their violent and abhorrent acts of criminality in this area, Wednesday’s seizure was not a one off. Our officers will be working relentlessly to rid Cheetham Hill of the prolific criminals, making it an environment for legitimate business to thrive.”
GMP says that behind the shutters of stores along 'Counterfeit Street' are hundreds and thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit clothes, medication, vapes, perfumes and drugs. The trade all contributes to serious organised crime and money laundering, GMP says, leading to violent crimes which have devastating effects on the local community and legitimate businesses in the area.
Det Supt Blackwood told the M.E.N. on Tuesday: "We understand there is a proportion of the community especially in these unstable economic times who are reliant on buying this stuff, especially with Christmas coming. Every time we go down there, there are customers who don't see the problem of buying it.
"But there is so much more behind the counterfeiting which we want people to understand. This is organised crime - counterfeit goods will make them a profit and counterfeit pregabalin which can kill people, makes them a profit."
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